Council still hoping for water corp stamp duty exemption

Fraser Coast Mayor Gerard O'Connell says the Queensland Government has agreed to negotiate a stamp duty exemption for the takeover of the Wide Bay Water Corporation.

Councillor O'Connell says residents could save $4 million a year by transferring the region's water supply body to a commercialised business unit of council.

He says a meeting with State Treasury yesterday was positive.

"[The] community that owns assets like the water and sewerage assets of the Fraser Coast and paid for them over a period of years, should be able to transfer them back to the control of the local council without having the liability or the impost of extra stamp duty," he said.

"So I think there was acceptance at the meeting from Treasury."

However, Local Government Minister David Crisafulli says the council needs to look at other ways of cutting costs for residents.

He says the State Treasury was clear in its meeting with the Mayor that there would be no exemption from stamp duty.

"There was always only going to be one result, the answer is no, there will be no exemption," he said.

"So I guess all that's happening is that you're really peddling false hope if you continue to think that may be on the table.

"What we've got to do is make Wide Bay Water Corporation work.

"The council quite rightly talks about finding savings, well then give the board clear vision and clear direction."

You have no doubt been hearing a lot about the Paris Agreement and know that it pertains to climate change, but are too embarrassed at this stage to ask for an overall explanation of what it's all about.